"Ash where's Gordie"? Vern asked for about the millionth time in the past five minutes which is not the best thing to do on a hot summer day one day before you go back to school.

"Gordie ate my last stick of gum so I killed him, do you think that was wrong" I said trying to keep the laughter out of my voice.

"Ha-ha very funny" Vern said

"It was wasn't it"? I laughed

No sooner had I done that the secret knock was sounding at the small door of the tree house.

"It's about time lachance" Chris said with a smile

god I loved Chris's smiles they were so. so. wait I was not thinking this cant, don't want to, not going to I couldn't be anything but a friend it would be to weird if I was more right?

"Hey you try doing all your chores in less than 15 minutes" Gordie said out of breath.

"Gordon please all you had to do was clean your room and take out the trash" I said

"Eat shit" he laughed as he drank some of his coca cola.

"I win again Chambers!" teddy cackled

"Bull shit I let you win" Chris retorted

"Ash you're up next" teddy said taking a drag of his cigarette.

"No man Im sick of cards that's what we've done all summer." I said

"Yea I say we should do something else to" Gordie added.

"Like what there's nothing to do in castle rock" Chris said.

"Well how 'bout we go down to the lake for a swim?" Vern asked

"Vern that might be just one of the best ideas you've ever had" teddy said.

"Screw you" he laughed

"All right lets all go home and change and meet back here in what about 20?" I asked

"Sounds good to me" Chris said.

*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*

"OW" Vern said

"What now Verno?" teddy asked annoyed

"I stepped on another rock!" Vern said

"You and your damn rocks" teddy laughed

"Look the lake" I said

"Yea well we're not blind dumb ass" Gordie smirked

"What ever" I mumbled

"Last one there is a rotten egg"! Vern yelled and took off running with Gordie and Teddy behind him and gaining fast because lets face it, Vern can't run.

I looked over to my left where Chris was walking beside me.

"What"? He asked, Oh god he had caught me looking at him shit think fast umm shit.

"Nothing" I said, oh man I am such a dumb ass 'nothing' what the hell?

"Oh" was all he said, by that time we had reached the lake which I was thankful for.

"Come on you guys"! Teddy yelled right before he was dunked under by a tag team of Gordie and Vern.

Me and Chris just looked at each other, smiled, and ran in to tackle Gordie and Vern.

After about an hour we had had enough of the water and started to make our way to the tree house again.

The sun was almost setting when teddy suggested that we should have an end of the summer camp out in the tree house. It actually didn't sound like a bad idea we all agreed and left to get our things for that night. This was going to be a fun night.